Dave Wood: Can't see Barca getting close to Real this season.

A reminder of the team news:

There's no suspended Cristiano Ronaldo and no Mateo Kovacic as Gareth Bale starts up top for Real Madrid in La Coruna.

Madrid XI: Navas, Carvajal, Ramos, Nacho, Marcelo, Kroos, Casemiro, Modrid, Isco, Bale, Benzema.

There are three debutants in the Deportivo side. Midfielder Guilherme, defender Fabian Schar, and winger Zakaria Bakkali, on loan from Valencia, all start.

Deportivo XI: Ruben, Juanfran, Schar, Sidnei, Luisinho, Pedro Mosquera, Guilherme, Celso Borges, Fede Cartabia, Bakkali, Andone.

So, over to Real Madrid then.

This is where Zinedine Zidane's side begin their title defence...

There will be tougher tests.

Betis started brightly and looked to be gaining momentum from some dogged resistance. But Barca turned it up to 11 in three first-half minutes, and cruised the rest of the way home.

It's a winning start in La Liga for new boss Ernesto Valverde, on a poignant night in Barcelona.

It must be the last move. Lionel Messi has the ball, he charges forwards towards goal, inside the box, past one, two, players..

But here comes Aissa Mandi with a superb last-gasp sliding challenge to deny him a chance to shoot.

THREE minutes added on.

Lionel Messi is still going.

Lucas Digne gets a yellow card for high challenge on Andres Guardado.

We are back under way at the Parc de Princes - can Neymar add to the goal he scored in the opening 45 minutes?

First touch for Lucas Digne is a tentative poke of a tackle that sees the ball fall kindly, straight into the path of Fabian Ruiz. On the edge of the box he just has to put his foot through it...

But the strike sails harmlessly over the bar.

Still no shot on target for Betis.

Lucas Digne coming on now for Barcelona, replacing Jordi Alba at left-back. Will he ever usurp him more permanently?

A corner floats in and Samuel Umtiti launches into a spectacular bicycle kick, Zou Feddal only just getting to the ball before him with his head.

He's still going!

Dancing across the Betis shirts trying desperately to slow him down, Lionel Messi cracks another shot as he slaloms along the edge of the box. It hits a couple of legs and bounces kindly through to Adan in net, when it might have gone anywhere else.

A hat-trick for Lionel Messi! That's three times he's hit the woodwork tonight.

This strike on the left foot from outside the box has such power that you can still hear the post crying out.

Then from a corner, Messi leaps above all around him, but can only nod wide. He really wants a goal. The fans do too.

Denis Suarez comes on for Paco Alcacer.

Actually Victor Camarasa, 23, has had to come off. Fabian Ruiz is on to replace him in the Betis midfield.

Just under 10 minutes to play. Will Betis actually get a shot on target?

Joaquin, at age 36, is beginning to favour a comb-over up top, but his legs are still going strong.

Here he is helping out a much younger team-mate, who's suffering from a spot of cramp.

Those striking eyes have seen it all before.

The likelihood of Betis finding a way to deny Barca a winning start to the new league season is...

Slim.

Ivan Rakitic is in none shall pass mode. His sharp tackling kickstarts a move on to Lionel Messi, who darts a cute pass into Aleix Vidal gaining ground inside the box, but out comes Adan to make a smart save at feet.

It could have been 6-1 to PSG in that first half.

Lionel Messi free-kick number three of the night.

This one curls a beautiful arc on its way to kissing the top of the bar and over.

How many does he need? Rubbish.

Gerard Deulofeu then makes way for Aleix Vidal. And for Betis, Matias Nahuiel comes off with Francis Guerrero coming on.

Agh that's poor. Matias Nahuel, who a few minutes before went in the book for a foul on Sergi Roberto, blazes over from range.

Betis are yet to muster a shot on target.

Great improvised pass from Sergi Roberto to find Gerard Deulofeu in space down the left. Barca want more.

Nelson Semedo carries into the box down the right, but the move falls through. Adan gathers his deflected cross.

A change for Betis, as Javi Garcia, the former Manchester City midfielder, comes on to replace Juan Narveez.

Andy White: Neymar will score 30 goals this season if he stays fit. The final verdict will be how well PSG do in the Champions League.

Chris Duckworth: Last season Deulofeu wasn't a regular for Everton, now starting for Barcelona. Which squad does that say more about?